Haynes Community Church

A WORD FOR 2024

(“A Word,” means the direction for the year coming out of hearing in the place of prayer.)

Knowing Jesus (Experiential Knowledge)

The text from scripture quoted on the front of the report (Phil. 3:7-11) contains the phrase, “knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,” and further down in the section uses the phrase, “that I may know Him.” The word know, in both instances comes from the Greek word gnosis. Weust in his WORD STUDIES IN THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT PG. 91 writes:

The expression “the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,” does not refer to the knowledge which the Lord Jesus possesses, but the knowledge of the Lord Jesus which Paul gained through the experience of intimate companionship and communion with Him. Paul came to know His heart, His will, as one comes to know another through intimate fellowship and close association with that person. The distinctive Greek word for “knowledge” used here, leads us to this interpretation.

Then when Weust is commenting on “that I may know Him,” he says:

But Paul has forfeited the loss of all things not only that he might                     appropriate Christ as Saviour and have others see by his life that that was the case, but in order that he may know Him. The words “to know,” are again, “to know by experience.” Paul wants to come to know the Lord Jesus in that fulness of experimental knowledge which is only wrought by being like Him.

This is what we are focusing on this year, which is clearly a lifelong journey and pursuit: to know (experientially) Jesus Christ. We have already and will look at ways He describes Himself in I AM statements or is described by the Holy Spirit in the Scripture through another or though the Father Himself.

I will remind us of one illustration we have touched on and comment personally on the impact of it. Jesus as the Lamb of God. It came to me that in knowing Jesus as the Lamb of God, I am drawn into His life of sacrifice. It isn’t just knowing about His sacrifice. It is being conformed in relationship with Him to His life of sacrifice. I will never hear the phrase LAMB OF GOD the same again.

I am already experiencing and seeing among us the reality of why Jesus is calling us to this focus and look forward to all He will bring of revelation of Himself to us all.

(see Philippians 3:7-14)

Alive to the presence of God.

The word for last year, Habitatation, ties in closely to this year’s word, to be ALIVE TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

…” in whom (Christ) you also are being built together for a dwelling place (Habitation) of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22 NKJV brackets added

It is clear in the above verse that we are talking about being continually in the presence of God. If that is the position we are moving toward, then in the present, what does His presence and our awareness of it bring? There are several relational things that we learn about God and our relationship to Him by the use of the term PRESENCE in scripture. We want to let the Holy Spirit unfold this for us. Let’s look at a few examples of what presence communicates in our relationship with the Lord.

If we first look at the definition of eternal life in John 17:3 we note that it too is relational in nature. “ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” NIV It is the same in looking into His presence. Presence is personal not impersonal. God is communicating with us as a person. We need to know that His presence is going to communicate something of His personhood in relationship with us.

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalms 16:11 NKJV

From this scripture we can receive God’s intention to have us experience joy. There is a communication of joy coming from God to His people. Being alive to God’s presence will take us deeper into experiencing joy.  How that takes place will be discovered as we engage Him and search the scriptures, but we do know where it takes place – in relationship with Him and in His presence. In Galatians one of the fruit of the Spirit is joy. This fruit comes from abiding (remaining) in Christ according to John 15.

                The presence of God also engages us by motivating us. Look at these two verses:

I charge you in the presence of God, who ^[gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,  that you… (1 Timothy 6:13)

Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to … (2 Timothy 2:14 part)

In both verses the exhortation/charge is grounded and carries force by realizing that we live in the presence of God. In the first case to do something, and in the second case to not do something.

We need to recognize that the presence of the Lord, since God is Light, will bring to light the things in our life that need to change (not to …), and give us direction to enter into the things He directs us to (that you …). It will expose the darkness in order to heal and free us and call us deeper into His will and fellowship with Him.  Our hearts need to be prepared for Him to do this work. David said,

Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24NIV)

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105 NKJV)

       The last connection I will raise for us to ponder right now is found in Romans 6 and verses 10-11.

“For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.  Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (NASB)

We are to consider (reckon) ourselves alive to God. The statement is a positional statement about our life in Christ. Because we are in Christ and He lives to God, we are, in Him, alive to God. Alive to His presence – Him. Reckoning doesn’t make this true, it is true because of what God has done in Christ. Reckoning takes us into experiencing more of what is true of us in Christ.

            Consider the importance of the Lord’s presence in the light of Moses statement: “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. ¹⁶ For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of theearth?” Exodus 33:14-16 NAS

It is these truths and others that the Lord wants to highlight for us, have us believe, and experience in 2020. 

I am looking forward to the journey together,

Pastor Mac

We are going to look into the word ‘habitation,’ in the context of Ephesians 2:22.

“Now you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. In whom the whole building being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place (habitation) of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22 NKJV

‘Dwelling place’ is translated ‘habitation’ in the KJV. Vine’s[1] notes read that in Ephesian 2:22 the word translated ‘habitation’ begins with kata meaning “down” implying more permanency than the word simply for dwelling. “Are being build,” makes clear that the process is underway and is His intention and direction. We want to yield to the Spirit of God in leading us to more fully enter into receiving and walking out His will revealed in this text.

How amazing is it, that we, in Christ, are being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit? What does such a truth tell you about God?

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[1] Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for ‘Habitation’. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/ved/h/habitation.html. 1940.

The word I am receiving for 2018 is “ONE.” In Jesus prayer in John chapter 17, He prays, “…that they all may be one, as You Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one; I in them, and You in Me: that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (NKJV)  Ours is to prayerfully investigate in deeper way during this year the oneness that we are called into, and to practically be led by the Holy Spirit in living that out.

There is a pattern that is revealed in the letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. Jesus approaches the church by revealing something of Himself, then He commends the church, then gives correction to the church and calls her to repent, gives instruction, and then ends by with a promise beginning with the words, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes …” In the case of two churches there is no correction.

Have you pondered the letters to the seven churches? How often do we open ourselves to this pattern in our relationship with Christ?